What is this chord called?

[peteman]

Check the attached image.

What's this chord called?

I know that E G B D F# is E minor ninth right?

But what if I add in notes E G B D F# one octave higher like shown in the pic?

Is it double chord or something?

[Opax]

Em9. If you were to leave out the D, it would be Em add9.

[peteman]

Em9. If you were to leave out the D, it would be Em add9.

Cool, many thanks!

[Nystul]

A chord symbol doesn't describe exactly how to perform the chord. You can make different choices about how to space the notes out and whether to double notes and still have the same chord name.

[MadBrain]

The octave of notes doesn't matter (except that if the bass of the chord changes, it becomes a different chord).

[fmr]

The octave of notes doesn't matter (except that if the bass of the chord changes, it becomes a different chord).

Really? What music theory says that?

So, if I move the bass one octave higher, the chord changes? It doesn't simply become inverted?

To the original OP: Does it matter how the chord is called? Do you like the sound? Use it. If not, don't. Who cares how is it called? As long as it's written, people will play it (assuming it's physically possible to play it).

[someone called simon]

To the original OP: Does it matter how the chord is called? Do you like the sound? Use it. If not, don't. Who cares how is it called? As long as it's written, people will play it (assuming it's physically possible to play it).

Humans tend to name things, it helps communicate with others, even helps us remember things for our own benefit. It appears you have one yourself...

[toughenough6]

Em9. If you were to leave out the D, it would be Em add9.

Cool, many thanks!

To expand on this, this works with any of the extended chords (9th, 11th, 13th, etc). If it's "add9", "add13", etc, you simply add that one to the triad (triad being the 1, 3, and 5). However if it's just "9" or "13" etc (Em9, D13, etc) you add everything UP TO that note.

So an Em9 has a 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, where an Emadd9 would have a 1, 3, 5, and 9 (no 7).

[peteman]

To the original OP: Does it matter how the chord is called? Do you like the sound? Use it. If not, don't. Who cares how is it called? As long as it's written, people will play it (assuming it's physically possible to play it).

Well yeah, because I try to explain it to another person.

[peteman]

To the original OP: Does it matter how the chord is called? Do you like the sound? Use it. If not, don't. Who cares how is it called? As long as it's written, people will play it (assuming it's physically possible to play it).

Humans tend to name things, it helps communicate with others, even helps us remember things for our own benefit. It appears you have one yourself...

This!!

[woung717]

Well, We can call it Bmadd11,#5/E or GM7add13/E or D6add9,11(no5)/E or F#7sus4(#5,b9)/E or etc by chord functions in the song.

[MadBrain]

The octave of notes doesn't matter (except that if the bass of the chord changes, it becomes a different chord).

Really? What music theory says that?

So, if I move the bass one octave higher, the chord changes? It doesn't simply become inverted?

True inversions behave differently from root position chords in progressions. For instance: F/A, G7/F, C/E sounds much less final than F, G7, C.

There are also some chords that do change into other chords when you change the bass though (not just inversions):

Example 1:
C E A B: Cmaj13
E A B C: Am add9/C
A B C E: Am add9
B C E A: Bsus b9

Example 2:
C E G A: C6
A C E G: Am7

Example 3:
C D E G: Cadd9
D E G C: D11

Example 4:
D F G C: Dm11
G C D F: G7sus4

Example 5:
D F Ab C: Dm7b5
F Ab C D: Fm6

Example 6:
Eb G A Db: Eb7#11
A C# D# G: A7#11 (enharmonic spelling of some notes)

[fmr]

The octave of notes doesn't matter (except that if the bass of the chord changes, it becomes a different chord).

Really? What music theory says that?

So, if I move the bass one octave higher, the chord changes? It doesn't simply become inverted?

True inversions behave differently from root position chords in progressions. For instance: F/A, G7/F, C/E sounds much less final than F, G7, C.

There are also some chords that do change into other chords when you change the bass though (not just inversions):

Example 1:
C E A B: Cmaj13
E A B C: Am add9/C
A B C E: Am add9
B C E A: Bsus b9

Example 2:
C E G A: C6
A C E G: Am7

Example 3:
C D E G: Cadd9
D E G C: D11

Example 4:
D F G C: Dm11
G C D F: G7sus4

Example 5:
D F Ab C: Dm7b5
F Ab C D: Fm6

Example 6:
Eb G A Db: Eb7#11
A C# D# G: A7#11 (enharmonic spelling of some notes)

1. When you are using ennharmonic notes, it is no longer the same chord, since it has other notes (no matter if the sound is the same, the chord is not the same, because what matters is what's written, since that will make a difference in what follows - in written music, you don't use enharmonic notes just because you can, but because the new written notes serve a purpose, for example for changing tonality).

2. A chord inverted doesn't sound the same... True. But it is also true that a chord in the same position (meaning - with the same bass, because that's the only element that determines which position the chord is) don't sound the same, depending on which notes you double, which octaves you play them, etc. That doesn't mean the chord is not the same... it is, just the way it is written/played differ... therefore, also the sound differs.

3. You may give me 1.000 more examples. I can even give some to you. That doesn't change what i said. A chord is named after its fundamental position. If you then change the bass note of the chord you have an inversion of that same chord

[fmr]

To the original OP: Does it matter how the chord is called? Do you like the sound? Use it. If not, don't. Who cares how is it called? As long as it's written, people will play it (assuming it's physically possible to play it).

Humans tend to name things, it helps communicate with others, even helps us remember things for our own benefit. It appears you have one yourself...

This!!

THIS is for people who don't know music. Those that know music read the notes, and that's enough for them. A chord with E, G, B, D, F, A... whatever, is what it is. Naming it isolated, without a context, is not possible (at least for me, and I know something on the subject). You need to know where it comes from and where it goes to, because there are notes there that may simply not belong to the chord (and probably, there are). I prefer to read the entire text instead of memorizing isolated words. It's better and gives me a better picture (and avoids mistakes, too).

[MadBrain]

1. When you are using ennharmonic notes, it is no longer the same chord, since it has other notes (no matter if the sound is the same, the chord is not the same, because what matters is what's written, since that will make a difference in what follows - in written music, you don't use enharmonic notes just because you can, but because the new written notes serve a purpose, for example for changing tonality).

Okay but the example I gave was Eb7#11 vs A7#11 - a tritonic substitution - and tritonic substitions only make sense if you allow for enharmonic notes.

2. A chord inverted doesn't sound the same... True. But it is also true that a chord in the same position (meaning - with the same bass, because that's the only element that determines which position the chord is) don't sound the same, depending on which notes you double, which octaves you play them, etc. That doesn't mean the chord is not the same... it is, just the way it is written/played differ... therefore, also the sound differs.

Fine, inversions are on an intermediary level of difference between "different voicing of the same chord but with the same bass" and "different chord". Can you at least agree with this?

3. You may give me 1.000 more examples. I can even give some to you. That doesn't change what i said. A chord is named after its fundamental position. If you then change the bass note of the chord you have an inversion of that same chord

THAT'S A TAUTOLOGY!